Angels Select Shaun Anderson, Designate Garrett McDaniels For Assignment
The Angels announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Shaun Anderson. Fellow righty José Fermín has been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake as the corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, left-hander Garrett McDaniels has been reinstated from the injured list and designated for assignment.
Anderson has a 6.30 ERA over 10 relief innings for the Halos this season, with most of that damage caused by three home runs allowed during that small sample of work. Los Angeles signed Anderson to a minors contract in February and selected him to the active roster for the first time a month ago, but designated the righty for assignment in the wake of his struggles.
The home run ball has long been an issue for Anderson, who has a 6.11 career ERA in the majors over 162 innings with eight different teams. Despite his lack of production at the big league level, Anderson has consistently kept drawing interest due to his ability to work as a swingman, though he hasn’t gotten much consistent work as a starter since the 2019 season when he pitched for the Giants. There is also a bit of a “quad-A” air to the righty’s career, as Anderson has pitched decently well at the Triple-A level and during a brief stint overseas in the KBO League in 2023.
Anderson will now get a chance to cover some innings and see if he can stick in the L.A. bullpen, with McDaniels the odd man out on the 40-man roster. McDaniels was a Rule 5 Draft pick out of the Dodgers organization back in December, and his debut season in the majors saw the southpaw post a 5.91 ERA over 10 2/3 relief innings, with more walks allowed (eight) than strikeouts (six). In fairness to McDaniels, he had only two games of Double-A experience on his resume before being exposed to MLB hitters this season, and he didn’t make his Triple-A debut until this year, while rehabbing from biceps tendinitis.
McDaniels’ Rule 5 status would carry over if another team acquired him via claim or trade during the DFA period, so this new club would also have to carry McDaniels on its active roster for the entire roster in order to fully obtain his rights. If McDaniels clears waivers, the Angels would have to offer him back to the Dodgers for $50K (i.e. half of the original $100K fee the Angels paid the Dodgers for making the Rule 5 selection).
Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment, Outright Casey Lawrence
The Mariners announced that they have recalled outfielder Dominic Canzone from Triple-A Tacoma. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Leody Taveras has been designated for assignment. The M’s also announced that right-hander Casey Lawrence, who was designated for assignment a couple of days ago, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A.
Seattle somewhat surprisingly claimed Taveras off waivers earlier this year, despite him being owed about $3.73MM at the time of that move. Seattle had been hamstrung financially throughout the offseason, with ownership providing the front office a reported $15-16MM to try to add as many as three bats to the lineup. Presumably, ownership was emboldened by a hot start to the season and gave the green light to a buy-low opportunity on Taveras while both Victor Robles and Luke Raley were on the injured list.
Simply put, it hasn’t worked. At the time of his DFA in Texas, Taveras was hitting just .241/.259/.342 with a career-worst 28% strikeout rate and exit velocity and hard-hit numbers. The switch-hitter’s batted-ball metrics have improved, but the bottom-line results have only gotten worse.
In 98 plate appearances with the M’s, Taveras has posted an anemic .174/.198/.272 batting line with a 27.6% strikeout rate. He’s cut down on his chase rate and been more aggressive within the strike zone, but the Mariners, who’ve dropped 10 of their past 14 games and fallen 2.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West, apparently don’t feel they have the luxury of waiting to see if the improved approach and stronger contact eventually manifest in better production.
Taveras will be placed on waivers or traded within the next five days. If he clears waivers, he’ll surely accept an outright assignment to Tacoma, as he doesn’t have enough service time to reject an outright and retain the remainder of his salary. As of this writing, he’s still owed about $2.86MM of this year’s $4.75MM salary. Any team that claims Taveras would be responsible for that sum, but they’d also gain control over the switch-hitting speedster through the 2027 season.
Taveras gave the Rangers two solid years from 2022-23, slashing a combined .264/.311/.400 with plus defense and the flexibility to play any of the three outfield positions. Even in a down year in 2024, when he batted .229/.289/.352, he provided value on the basepaths and with the glove. Perhaps that track record, plus the encouraging trends in his plate discipline and batted-ball quality, would be enough to get him a look elsewhere. The Royals reportedly had interest in claiming Taveras last time he was on waivers but balked at the $3.73MM he had left to be paid out. By the time he hits waivers, the remaining commitment to him will be nearly $1MM less than the first time he was on waivers.
In place of Taveras, Canzone will get another opportunity to prove he can be a piece of the puzzle at T-Mobile Park. He hit just .196/.271/.381 in 188 plate appearances with the Mariners last year and went hitless in three plate appearances earlier this season. The 27-year-old is having a big year in Triple-A, however, mashing at a .296/.360/.564 clip with 13 home runs, a 9.1% walk rate and a 21.3% strikeout rate. He’s batting .382/.488/.529 with as many walks as strikeouts across his past nine games.
As for Lawrence, this is just the latest trip around the Seattle-Tacoma DFA carousel for the journeyman right-hander. He’s now had five different stints with the Mariners in 2025 alone. The soft-tossing 37-year-old has pitched 15 innings with a flat 3.00 ERA for the Mariners this year, plus one lone 2 2/3-inning appearance for the Blue Jays, wherein he allowed three runs.
Overall, Lawrence has 17 2/3 MLB frames with a 4.08 earned run average on the season. His 8.8% strikeout rate is as low as you’ll find, but he’s walked only 1.3% of opponents. The Mariners are effectively utilizing Lawrence and fellow journeyman Jesse Hahn as 41st and 42nd members of their 40-man roster, selecting them to the majors when they need an extra arm for some length and then designating them for assignment and passing them through waivers to bring back an optionable arm as needed.
It’s a tumultuous way to earn a living in some respects, but the team has been upfront with the righty about his role and Lawrence is clearly amenable to the setup. He’s picked up 34 days of major league service time this year — players accrue MLB pay and service while in DFA limbo and/or on outright waivers — and thus banked at least $142K in major league salary alone (which doesn’t even include his minor league pay).
Red Sox Designate Robert Stock For Assignment, Select Brian Van Belle
The Red Sox announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Brian Van Belle. He will take the roster spot of fellow righty Robert Stock, who has been designated for assignment.
Stock, 35, was just added to the roster a couple of days ago. Facing the Yankees on Friday, starter Walker Buehler only lasted two innings, in a game that finished in a 9-6 loss. Zack Kelly and Brennan Bernardino came in after Buehler before Cooper Criswell mopped up the final three frames.
Criswell likely wasn’t going to be available for a few days, so the Sox optioned him down and brought up Stock to give the bullpen a fresh arm. In last night’s 11-7 victory over the Yanks, the Sox used eight pitchers to get the necessary 27 outs, leaving them in a somewhat taxed position going into tonight’s contest against the Rays.
Stock was one of those eight pitchers and he wasn’t terribly efficient. He was put into the game in the bottom of the ninth with an 11-5 lead. He faced six batters, only retiring two of them, while throwing 30 pitches. Closer Aroldis Chapman had to come in and get the final out.
That’ll get Stock bumped off the roster for the second time this year. He signed a minor league deal with the Sox in the winter and was also called up in April, under somewhat similar circumstances. Boston had just played a doubleheader and wanted a fresh arm. Stock made one appearance and was designated for assignment right after. He cleared waivers and stuck with the club, which allowed him to come back up in recent days. It’s possible that the same sequence of events plays out in the coming days. Stock has a 10.13 earned run average in those two big league outings this year but a solid 3.09 ERA in Triple-A.
Van Belle, 28, has never been a huge name among prospect evaluators but is having a good season. An undrafted free agent in 2020, he has climbed the minor league ladder and been in Triple-A since 2023. This year, he has logged 51 innings over eight starts and four relief appearances with a 2.29 ERA. His 20% strikeout rate isn’t strong but his 3.4% walk rate is tiny and he’s been getting ground balls on 51.7% of balls in play.
As mentioned, the pitching staff got a lot of work yesterday. Van Belle will replace Stock and give the club a fresh arm capable of tossing multiple innings. He’ll be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.
Photo courtesy of David Butler II, Imagn Images
Mets Select Justin Garza
The Mets announced that they have selected right-hander Justin Garza to their major league roster. Left-hander Brandon Waddell was optioned in a corresponding active roster move. The 40-man roster had two vacancies, so their count climbs from 38 to 39.
Garza, 31, started the season on a minor league contract with the Giants. This past weekend, the Mets acquired him, sending some cash considerations to San Francisco in return. He has tossed 17 2/3 innings over 19 Triple-A appearances this year. His 6.11 earned run average in that time is obviously not great but there are other metrics that the Mets are presumably more interested in.
The righty has been averaging over 96 miles per hour on his fastballs this year. When he was last in the majors, he was in the 93-95 mph range. His 26% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate this year are both strong numbers. However, he has allowed a .340 batting average on balls in play. His 68.6% strand rate is a bit low. He has also allowed four home runs, a rate of 22.2% per fly ball. That work has come in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, so perhaps the Mets are hoping that Garza’s skills will play better in a different setting. Citi Field is generally pitcher-friendly but can be close to neutral when it comes to home runs.
Garza does have some major league experience, with a 5.74 ERA, 21% strikeout rate and 13.7% walk rate in 47 innings. That poor control has also been a feature of his minor league work. From 2021 to 2023, he logged 102 2/3 innings on the farm with 3.94 ERA and 27.4% strikeout rate but a 12.4% walk rate. Last year, he only walked 8% of Triple-A batters he faced and has stayed in that range in 2025.
Though his major league track record isn’t great, adding velocity while improving control is an intriguing step forward, so the Mets will give him a fresh chance. He has a couple of option years remaining, which surely adds to the appeal, as he can be sent to Syracuse and back fairly freely if he holds down a 40-man roster spot.
Photo courtesy of Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images
Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
The Angels and Giants swung a trade this evening, as San Francisco sent first baseman and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. to Anaheim in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. The Giants are sending cash to Anaheim as part of the deal alongside Wade. The Angels designated right-hander Michael Darrell-Hicks for assignment to make room for Wade on the 40-man roster.
Wade, 31, was designated for assignment by San Francisco last week. A ninth-round pick by Minnesota back in 2015, he appeared in 42 games for the Twins across the 2019 and 2020 seasons before being dealt to the Giants prior to the 2021 campaign. Wade immediately became a fixture of the Giants lineup, slashing .253/.326/.482 in 109 games for San Francisco in his first year with the club. Injuries limited him to just 77 games in 2022, but he bounced back in 2023 and ’24 to slash a combined .258/.376/.401 (120 wRC+) in 252 games for the Giants where he primarily played first base but also got occasional looks in the outfield corners and at DH.
In his final year ahead of free agency, Wade seemed likely to once again serve as a solid left-handed bat for the Giants who could be trusted to hold things down at first base while the club waited for the arrival of top prospect Bryce Eldridge. Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out. Wade failed to hit much at all in 50 games for the Giants this season, posting a putrid .167/.275/.271 slash line (59 wRC+). At least some of those struggles can be attributed to poor fortune on batted balls, as Wade’s .211 BABIP is down nearly 90 points relatively to what it had been during his previous four seasons with the Giants. With that being said, Wade was hitting for less power than ever before in his career, and even his .287 xwOBA was well below average. With San Francisco in the thick of the Wild Card race this year, they couldn’t justify continuing to wait around for Wade to get right and pulled the plug on him last week in order to bring veteran first baseman Dominic Smith into the fold.
For the Angels, the addition of Wade is an interesting one. The club already has a left-handed first baseman entrenched in an everyday job with Nolan Schanuel, who has done quite well for himself with a 119 wRC+ in his age-23 season so far. Notably, Anaheim’s announcement of the move referred to Wade as an outfielder, hinting that he might primarily find use in the corner outfield mix for the Halos going forward. That would be a sensible use for the veteran, given that the club’s current outfield group of Jorge Soler, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, and Mike Trout hit exclusively from the right side. Wade could serve as a lefty complement to Ward in left field and Soler at DH once Trout resumes playing right field on a regular basis. In the short term, Wade can also provide the Angels with some additional coverage in the outfield in the event that Soler needs to head to the injured list due to a nagging groin issue he’s been struggling with in recent days.
Wade has always been best suited for a platoon role, as he’s a career .193/.288/.250 hitter against fellow lefties and has not collected a hit against a left-handed pitcher this year. Even the club’s depth and bench outfield options like Chris Taylor, Matthew Lugo, and Scott Kingery bat right-handed, which should give Wade a niche on the club’s roster. That should be a fairly safe environment for Wade to try and bounce back, as he can be more or less completely platoon protected. It remains to be seen if Wade can resume generating enough power to get his production anywhere close to the 115 wRC+ he posted with the Giants from 2021-24, but one encouraging sign is that his strikeout (20.9%) and walk (12.7%) rates from that timeframe are almost identical to his 20.7% strikeout rate and 12.4% walk rate this year.
That suggests that his skills haven’t regressed at least from a discipline perspective, and even if his power doesn’t bounce back it’s not impossible to imagine Wade being a roughly league average bat against righties going forward. That’s enough to make him a useful bench piece for a team with a heavily right-handed lineup like Anaheim, and they clearly though bringing him into the fold was worth absorbing at least a portion of $5MM salary Wade is making this year. It’s not yet clear exactly how much cash the Giants sent to Anaheim to offset that financial blow, but shedding even a portion of the first baseman’s salary is a win for San Francisco given that Wade would’ve been able to elect free agency and leave them on the hook for the full deal had he cleared waivers.
Departing the Angels’ roster to make room for Wade is Darrell-Hicks. The 27-year-old made his big league debut with Anaheim earlier this year and made six appearances, where he surrendered eight runs on ten hits while walking four and striking out six in 7 2/3 innings of work. That lackluster performance is fairly representative of his work at Triple-A Salt Lake this year as well, where he has an 8.87 ERA in 22 1/3 frames. That said, he’s just one season removed from posting a dominant season split between Double- and Triple-A, with a 2.60 ERA in 62 1/3 innings of work across 40 appearances. The Angels will have one week to either work out a trade involving Darrell-Hicks or else place him on waivers. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, Anaheim will have the option to outright him to the minor leagues as non-roster depth for the remainder of the year.
Angels Sign Ben Gamel To Minor League Deal
The Angels have signed outfielder Ben Gamel to a minor league deal, according to the transactions tracker on Gamel’s MLB.com profile page. Gamel was subsequently assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Gamel had previously been at Triple-A with the Tigers on a minor league deal, but last appeared in a game with the club back in April and was granted his release by the organization late last month.
Gamel, 33, is a veteran of nine MLB seasons who has yet to appear in the majors in 2025. He made his big league debut with the Yankees all the way back in 2016, though he was almost immediately traded to the Mariners. He didn’t hit much that first year across 33 games, but he fashioned himself into a roughly average regular for Seattle over the next two years. Gamel hit .274/.335/.398 (102 wRC+) during that time but departed for the Brewers in the deal that sent Domingo Santana to Seattle. His two years in Milwaukee did not go over nearly as well, however, as he was a below average hitter overall and ended up non-tendered by the club during the 2020-21 offseason.
The outfielder has become something of a journeyman in the years since then, bouncing around the league and appearing for five teams in the past four years. With 281 games in the majors under his belt split between Cleveland, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Queens, and Houston since the start of the 2021 campaign, Gamel has hit a roughly league average .239/.338/.372 (98 wRC+) while primarily playing the outfield corners but making occasional appearances in center field and at first base. His most successful stop during that stretch was with the Astros last year, for whom he posted a 117 wRC+ in 20 games down the stretch before suffering a fibula fracture that sidelined him in mid September. Despite that injury cutting Gamel’s time with the club short, the Astros re-signed him to a big league deal during Spring Training but ultimately cut him loose when they opted to put top prospect Cam Smith on the Opening Day roster as their regular right fielder.
Gamel signed his aforementioned minor league deal with Detroit shortly thereafter, but went on the injured list after just 17 games and was later released. Now that he’s signed with the Angels, it seems likely the Gamel will return to minor league games in the near future as he looks to earn an opportunity in Anaheim’s outfield mix. A heavily right-handed outfield should work in Gamel’s favor in terms of earning a big league opportunity, although the Angels swinging a trade for LaMonte Wade Jr. earlier today might complicate his fit on the big league roster somewhat. Even so, Gamel has been a consistent, roughly league average performer in the majors for nearly a decade now and seems likely to fight his way back to the majors in some capacity before the season is up, so long as he’s healthy and able to resume playing.
Blue Jays Recall Spencer Turnbull For Season Debut
The Blue Jays announced this afternoon that they’ve recalled right-hander Spencer Turnbull from Triple-A Buffalo. In a corresponding move, right-hander Paxton Schultz was optioned to Triple-A.
Turnbull, 32, signed with Toronto on a one-year deal last month. The right-hander was added to the 40-man roster at the time of the signing but agreed to be optioned to the minor leagues at the time of his signing so he could build up his arm after missing all of Spring Training due to being unsigned. He made his fifth rehab appearance on Friday, when he threw 80 pitches across 4 2/3 innings of five-run ball against the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate. Despite those shaky results, it represented Turnbull’s longest appearance both in terms of pitch count and batters faced.
That may have been close enough to a full big league start that the Jays were comfortable adding him back to the roster, but it’s worth noting that Turnbull’s optional assignment could only last a maximum of 35 days. That window would have expired tomorrow, meaning that Turnbull’s addition to the roster was imminent unless he suffered an injury or agreed to a longer stay in the minors. Despite his shaky rehab outings, the addition of Turnbull into the fold should hopefully provide a stabilizing force for a Jays pitching staff in serious need of reinforcements.
The righty had an up-and-down career over five years with the Tigers where he at times flashed the ability to be a quality mid-rotation arm but was too often held back by injuries. He enjoyed his healthiest season in years with the Phillies last year, and while he did ultimately miss the second half of the season with a lat strain he made 17 appearances (including seven starts) where he pitched to an impressive 2.65 ERA with a 3.85 FIP and 3.67 SIERA aross 54 1/3 innings of work. He struck out a career-high 26.1% of opponents while walking a fairly manageable 9.0%, and despite the season-ending injury re-entered free agency with a fairly strong argument for a solid contract.
While he ultimately lingered on the open market long enough to get snapped up by the Blue Jays on what was effectively a $1MM guarantee, the talent Turnbull flashed last year would go a long way to shoring up a beleaguered pitching staff in Toronto. They’ve been operating with a four-man rotation of late, and it seems fairly likely that Turnbull will now join that mix at least until an injured pitcher like Max Scherzer or Alek Manoah is ready to step back into a rotation role with the team. With no starter in line for their game against the Cardinals on June 11, it would be no surprise if the right-hander ends up taking the ball that day.
With that being said, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet suggested the possibility that Turnbull could either begin his time with the Jays in the bullpen or perhaps piggyback with southpaw Eric Lauer, who has been pitching in a long relief role for Toronto this season. Turnbull’s no stranger to a swing role after his work in Philadelphia last year; he started his first six appearances with the Phillies before moving to the bullpen last May and being utilized in a flexible role that saw him make both single-inning relief appearances lasting less than 20 pitchers and multi-inning appearances that pushed 60 pitches. Whether the Blue Jays ultimately decide to start Turnbull or use him in the bullpen at first, that flexibility is sure to come in handy during his time with the club.
Twins Place Zebby Matthews On 15-Day IL, Reinstate Danny Coulombe
2:21PM: Matthews has been feeling some shoulder soreness for a couple of weeks, and some increased discomfort after the start on Wednesday led to the team’s decision to put him on the injured list. “It’s not something we’re too concerned with,” Matthews told the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale and other reporters. “It seems to be something we can respond to, hopefully, pretty quick….It’s mainly during the last part of the throw is when I feel it. Everything else, it feels pretty good. We’re just trying to get it to loosen up and get back to feeling normal.”
9:18AM: The Twins announced that right-hander Zebby Matthews has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 5) due to a strain in Matthews’ throwing shoulder. In the corresponding move, Minnesota activated left-hander Danny Coulombe from the 15-day IL.
The unwelcome news on Matthews come out of nowhere, as there wasn’t any indication that the 25-year-old was hurting coming off his best start of the season. Matthews limited the A’s to one run on four hits and three walks over five innings in the Twins’ 6-1 victory on June 4. Even that solid outing lowered Matthews’ ERA to only 5.21 over 19 total innings this season, though advanced metrics (such as a 3.31 SIERA, 30.1% strikeout rate, and a .375 BABIP) indicate that Matthews has deserved better than his inflated ERA.
It looked like Matthews had performed well enough to keep his spot in the Twins’ rotation, though Pablo Lopez‘s extended absence might have gotten Matthews more starts out of sheer necessity. With Matthews himself now out of action, the Twins will have to dig deeper into their depth chart to cover two rotation spots. David Festa had been installed into Lopez’s place, and Simeon Woods Richardson will likely be recalled from Triple-A to take over for Matthews.
Neither Festa or Woods Richardson have pitched well this season, so there will be even more pressure on Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Chris Paddack to continue carrying the rotation. It is fair to wonder if Minnesota might look to the waiver wire or try to swing a low-level trade to add some veteran depth to the pitching mix, though adding a more prominent arm on the trade market isn’t likely to become a reality until closer to the deadline. The severity of Matthews’ shoulder strain is also naturally a factor, as the urgency for pitching depth would diminish if Matthews is able to return before the end of the month.
The bullpen will at least get a boost with the return of Coulombe, who last pitched on May 14 before an extensor strain in his left forearm sent the veteran reliever to the IL. Coulombe has yet to allow an earned run over 16 2/3 innings and 19 appearances for Minnesota this season, and he has an outstanding 3.3% walk rate and 31.7% strikeout rate to go along with that spotless ERA. The Twins had been operating without a left-hander in their bullpen prior to Coulombe’s activation, as Kody Funderburk was optioned to Triple-A on Friday.
In other Twins bullpen news, Michael Tonkin restarted his minor league rehab assignment and tossed a scoreless inning for Triple-A Saint Paul last night. Tonkin has yet to pitch in the majors this season due to a mild rotator cuff strain suffered during Spring Training, and his previous rehab assignment was halted a month ago due to biceps tendinitis.
Yankees Claim CJ Alexander
The Yankees and Athletics have each announced that infielder CJ Alexander is heading to New York on a waiver claim. The A’s designated Alexander for assignment three days ago.
Alexander was optioned to the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, where he’ll act as a left-handed hitting depth option at multiple positions. Most of Alexander’s pro experience has come at third base, which is notable given how the hot corner has often been considered a weak link in New York’s otherwise sterling lineup. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has the position locked down for now since DJ LeMahieu is being deployed at second base, and it is possible the infield situation might resolve itself if LeMahieu can regain any of his old form at the plate.
Oswald Peraza and Pablo Reyes are ahead of Alexander on the big league depth chart in terms of backup infielders, so Alexander may have a tough time cracking the Yankees’ roster. The 28-year-old Alexander can also play first base and both corner outfield positions, and he is a left-handed hitter (Peraza, Reyes, and LeMahieu all swing from the right side).
A 20th-round pick for the Braves in the 2018 draft, Alexander made it to the Show with the Royals in 2024, and got into another handful of games with the A’s this year. Alexander’s brief time in the majors has resulted in only four hits in 25 plate appearances (for a .320 OPS), but he has hit well at Triple-A, with a .264/.330/.502 slash line and 42 home runs to show for 908 career PA at the top minor league level.
Phillies Claim Ryan Cusick, Designate Kyle Tyler
The Phillies announced that right-hander Ryan Cusick was claimed off waivers from the White Sox and optioned to the Florida Complex League. In the corresponding roster move, Philadelphia designated right-hander Kyle Tyler for assignment.
In less than two weeks’ time, Cusick is now joining his fourth different team after a whirlwind series of waiver claims. The odyssey started when he was designated for assignment by the Athletics on May 27, and he has since gone from the A’s to the Tigers to the White Sox and now to the Phils. Cusick will now head not to Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate but to the FCL for what might be a mechanical tune-up in the wake of a difficult minor league season.
The 25-year-old Cusick was the 24th overall pick of the 2021 draft, selected by the Braves but then quickly flipped to the Athletics that offseason as part of the trade package that brought Matt Olson to Atlanta. Cusick has struggled to live up to that first-round potential, as his career 5.20 ERA over 238 2/3 minor league innings hasn’t resulted in any Major League playing time.
A starter for most of his career, Cusick appears to have moved into the bullpen on a full-time basis this season, but the results haven’t been there, as he has more walks (14) than strikeouts (11) while posting a 6.32 ERA over 15 2/3 combined innings with the Athletics’ and Tigers’ Triple-A affiliates in 2025. The Phillies will become the latest team to see if they can solve Cusick’s control problems and turn him into a playable big league reliever.
Tyler can relate to Cusick’s waiver wire travels, as Tyler also changed teams four times on waiver claims within a month’s span in March-April 2022. His MLB resume consists of a 4.31 ERA over 48 innings with the Angels, Padres, and Marlins, with the bulk (31 2/3 IP) of that work coming with Miami last year.
Tyler started seven of his eight games with the Marlins, and has mostly worked as a starter over the last three seasons in the minors after working in more of a swingman capacity earlier in his career. All 12 of Tyler’s outings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley came as a starter, though he had only a 4.31 ERA, 15.6% strikeout rate, and 7.6% walk rate. The Phillies are deeper than most teams when it comes to starting pitching, while Tyler’s numbers don’t jump off the page, another club in need of rotation depth could be motivated to put in a claim.